1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to lawn and gardening devices and, more specifically, to a device that can be positioned in the ground, defining a border and preventing growth between the separated ground cover.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are other lawn and gardening device designed for retaining and maintaining a specific lawn or garden appearance. Typical of these is the patent issued to Coates on Jul. 13, 1999 as U.S. Pat. No. 5,921,021, to Conway on Mar. 21, 2000, as U.S. Pat. No. 6,038,811, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,349,596 issued to Hendrix on Sep. 14, 1982.
Another patent was issued to Trageser on Feb. 8, 1983 as U.S. Pat. No. 4,372,079. Another patent was issued to Brylla et al on Mar. 7, 1989 as U.S. Pat. No. 4,809,459. Yet another U.S. Pat. No. 4,969,289 was issued to Trifiletti on Nov. 13, 1990 and still yet another was issued on Jun. 8, 1993 to Grimes as U.S. Pat. No. Des. 336,220.
Another patent was issued to Mantilla on Aug. 13, 1996 as U.S. Pat. No. 5,544,445. Yet another U.S. Pat. No. 5,857,288 was issued to Wiste on Jan. 12, 1999.
The lawn border and edging member of this invention has an elongated vertical wall member which has opposite vertical side surfaces, first and second opposite ends, and elongated top and bottom surfaces. A flat plate member is secured to the bottom surface of the wall member and has a width extending outwardly from each side of the wall member to maintain the wall member in a vertical position. The outer ends of the plate member extend longitudinally outwardly beyond each end of the wall member. The plate member has an offset portion on its bottom surface to receive an end extension portion of another juxta positioned member having an end extension portion of an horizontal slot to receive an end extension portion of another juxta positioned member having an end extension portion. The wall member has connecting means on it opposite ends for pivotal attachments to ends of similar wall members. The connecting means includes a tongue element on one of each ends and a size compatible horizontal notch on the other of the ends. A vertical hinge pin having a lower end, and a length greater than the height of the wall member extends through the overlapping tongue elements and horizontal notches. The hinge pins penetrate a ground surface upon which the member is mounted. The protruding ends of the plate members are in the shape of a semi-circle. Except for the hinge pins, the member described heretofore can be comprised of a single piece of molded material.
A lawn edging system and methods for edging a lawn are disclosed. The system includes a plurality of individual, integrally formed lawn edging units. Each unit includes a first portion and a substantially perpendicular second portion. The second portion includes a central section, having a length equal to the length of the first portion, and two end areas, which, when combined with the length of the central section, define a length greater than that of the first portion. The end areas are preferably rounded, but may be boxed, pointed, or scalloped. In use, an end area on one unit overlaps an end area of an adjacent unit while the first portions of the adjacent units abut. The second portion preferably includes an aperture for accepting a stake to anchor the unit into the ground. The aperture may be centrally located, or there may be a plurality of evenly spaced apertures. The design of the lawn edging device enables a plurality of lawn edging units to be nested compactly and packaged for sale or storage. In addition, the design of the lawn edging device enables the device to be either inserted into the ground to separate a grassy area from an adjacent ground area or placed against a vertical surface to separate the grassy area from the vertical surface. Thus two alternate methods of use are disclosed.
A material retainer strip for holding gravel in a roadway, lining a flower bed or garden plot and generally maintaining the integrity of two separate surface materials, comprising elongated, flexible resilient strips of material having a substantially C-shaped cross-section, the base lip thereof being wider than the top lip, the base lip being secured to a surface by stakes. Included are a plurality of splice joints of various shapes for connecting the ends of the strips either in alignment or to permit execution of an abrupt turn in direction.
The present invention entails a garden edging structure that surrounds a garden plot and separates the same from grass, vegetation, or soil that might lie outwardly of the garden plot. Specifically, the garden edging structure includes an inner continuous boundary or border that surrounds the garden plot and includes a lower ground engaging portion that anchors the same about the plot, and an above ground portion that tends to confine soil of the garden plot inwardly of the inner boundary. In addition, an outer boundary or border structure is provided and communicatively associated with the inner boundary structure. More particularly, the outer boundary structure is of a generally horizontal planar type material, such as vinyl, and extends about ground level continuously around the inner boundary. In the case where the garden plot is surrounded by grass, it is seen that the outer boundary would serve to support a portion of a lawn mower such that grass disposed about the outer edge thereof can be easily and cleanly cut.
An L-shaped lawn and garden edging has a leg that is inserted into the ground and a flange that rests on the ground to impede plant growth under the flange. When the edging is inserted into the ground adjacent a building or other above ground object, the grass adjacent the building need not be hand trimmed after the lawn is mowed with a mower. The present invention includes an edging having an upstanding retainer section joined to the junction of the leg and flange. The retainer section is useful for retaining selected above ground garden materials into desired areas. The flange may be slit to permit bending the edging into curved configurations. The ends of the edgings may be cut at an angle and placed into end facing contact to bound multi-sided areas. In a modified embodiment, the flange is pivotally connected to the leg by a hinge of material. The flange has a tongue that is selectively engageable with a groove in the leg to hold the flange rigidly to the leg and disengageable from the groove to permit folding the edging. In a further modified embodiment, the flange is a loose piece that has a pair of tongues that are slidable into a dovetail groove in the leg to permit selective use as a rigid edging and to permit rolling the flange and edging.
A garden edging device separates one area of a lawn from another. The edging device includes two upwardly facing generally flat elongated horizontal segments. Two elongated vertical segments, each integral with the first horizontal segment, depend downwardly from the first horizontal segment along the longitudinal edges of the horizontal segment. One of the elongated vertical segments is integral along it lower edge to one longitudinal edge of the second horizontal segment. An additional longitudinal vertical segment is integral with the second horizontal segment and depends downwardly from it. The upwardly facing segments are provided with recessed holes for receiving and countersinking the heads of stakes which secure the device to the ground. The device can be straight or curved and can be formed with folds permitting it to bent.
This device includes the ornamental design for the interlocking lawn and garden bed edging as illustrated in the drawings of the patent, including interlocking element.
A landscape edging device which is positioned about a border between a lawn or garden and a structure such as a sidewalk, driveway or building is characterized by a split horizontal member which is capable of downward displacement to allow mowers and other objects to traverse over the device, while providing sufficient height to be an effective barrier between the lawn and the structure. Gripping members are provided to allow the device to be fixed to the lawn.
Plastic extruded lawn edging includes a vertical panel and a horizontal panel that are reconfigurable to a storage position and an installed position. In the storage position, the lawn edging has a relatively low minimum moment of inertia for the flexibility of coiling about itself. In the installed position, the lawn edging has a higher minimum moment of inertia for greater rigidity when in use. The horizontal panel is wide enough to support the wheel of a lawnmower and provides a band along which no grass can grow. The horizontal panel eliminates the need for grass trimming wherever it is used, such as along side the outer wall of a house or around a garden.
While these lawn and garden edging devices may be suitable for the purposes for which they were designed, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention, as hereinafter described.
It is thus desirable to provide a lawn and garden edging device that is one modeled piece, that is comprised of a weather resistant material equipped with locking means that provide flexibility when being applied in various curved configurations. It is further desirable to provide a lawn and garden edging that allows for the transversion of lawn maintenance equipment over its edges with out causing inadvertent damage to the lawn and garden edging device or maintenance equipment.
The present invention relates generally to lawn and gardening devices and, more specifically, to retaining and maintaining a specific lawn or garden appearance while reducing damage to already present lawn or garden environment.
A primary object of the present invention is to provide a lawn and garden edging device that may reduce unsightly weed and shrub build up at the base of an existing free standing structure.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a lawn and garden edging device that may eliminate the need for lawn trimming equipment.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a lawn and garden edging device that may act as an enclosure for flower beds.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a lawn and garden edging device that may act as a border between two areas of selective land.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a lawn and garden edging device that may act as a decoration device.
Additional objects of the present invention will appear as the description proceeds.
The present invention overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art by providing a lawn and garden edging device with interlocking means therein and a stake providing means for securing the device in place.
The L-shaped edging device of the present invention is comprised of two transverse planar surfaces. One is embedded in the ground and the other is parallel with and engaging the ground surface. On the spaced apart distal ends are opposed locking elements whereby like L-shaped members can be fixedly attached thereto. One locking element is comprised of an aperture having a receiving flanged member while the other is comprised of a stud being of substantially similar diameter as the aperture and having a flanged circular member that works in conjunction with the flanged receiving member to provide the locking means for the L-shaped edging device.
The distal ends of the L-shaped edging device are contoured with rounded ends whereby mated L-shaped edging members will pivot on the locking element which provides means for a plurality of L-shaped edging devices forming a user selectable pattern from a circle to a line.
The L-shaped edging device may be of random lengths and width having threaded members and threaded apertures thereon that provide the coupling means for spikes having threaded members and threaded apertures thereon. The spike provides means for fixedly retaining the selective positioning of each L-shaped edging device. The spike is provided in two embodiments, one embodiment having a threaded member present at its top most end for the coupling with the threaded aperture of the L-shaped edging device. The second spike embodiment is furnished with a threaded aperture present at the top most end of the spike that provides the coupling means for the threaded member of the L-shaped edging device.
The present invention also provides a vertical back plate that extends above ground whereby the L-shaped form in now a T-shaped form. The above ground element provides means for having a higher grade on one side than the other such as, in the case of raised flower beds. The above grade element further has means for connection one edging device with another by having brackets located on the edge at one distal end and a flexible flap extension located on the other distal end. When two edging devices are mated the flap is inserted into the grooves, thereby preventing soil from the raised bed from passing from the higher grade to the lower grade through the seam. The flap further permits the rotation of one device relative to the other through the locking element.
The present invention also provides an embodiment that functions in ways similar to the first two embodiments yet only provides a minimum angle of rotation due to its modified planar surface.
A lawn edging device is provided, comprising: a first elongated member having: a center portion having an edge; a first end portion and a second end portion, each extending from the center portion, the first end portion being attachable to the second end portion of a like device, the second end portion being attachable to the first end portion of a like device, the first and second end portions being sized such that, when attached, the combined thicknesses of the first end portion and the second end portion of the like device are substantially the same as the thickness of the center portion; and a second elongated member having an edge, the second elongated member being attached to the first elongated member such that the first and second elongated members form a vertex at the attached edges.
In another embodiment, the attachment is pivotable in the plane of the first elongated member.
In another embodiment, the device further comprises a spike, the spike being downwardly disposed and attached to the first elongated member.
In another embodiment, the spike has a threaded member and the first elongated member has a threaded aperture, the spike threaded member being matable with the first elongated member threaded aperture.
In another embodiment, the spike has a threaded aperture and the first elongated member has a threaded member, the spike threaded aperture being matable with the first elongated member threaded member.
In another embodiment, the device further comprises a plurality of spikes, the spikes being downwardly disposed and attached to the first elongated member.
In another embodiment, the second elongated member extends along the combined lengths of the center portion and the first end portion.
In another embodiment, the second elongated member extends along the combined lengths of the center portion and the second end portion.
In another embodiment, the second elongated member extends along the combined lengths of the center portion, the first end portion, and the second end portion.
In another embodiment, the device further comprises a third elongated member, the third elongated member having an edge and being attached to the first elongated member edge such that the second and third elongated members lie in the same or substantially parallel planes.
In another embodiment, the device further comprises an extension member extending from the third elongated member; and a first and second bracket positioned on the third elongated member for closely receiving the extension member of a like device such that the third elongated member is joined to the third elongated member of the like device.
In another embodiment, the extension member is flexible.
In another embodiment, the extension member is offset from the third elongated member such that the extension member is linearly aligned with the first and second brackets.
In another embodiment, the device further comprises a third elongated member, the third elongated member having an edge and being positionable upon the first elongated member edge such that the first and third elongated members form a vertex at the attached edges.
In another embodiment, the device further comprises a third elongated member, the third elongated member being positionable on the first elongated member; an extension member extending from the third elongated member; and a first and second bracket positioned on the third elongated member for closely receiving the extension member of a like device such that the third elongated member is joined to the third elongated member of the like device.
In another embodiment, the extension member is flexible.
In another embodiment, the extension member is offset from the third elongated member such that the extension member is linearly aligned with the first and second brackets.
In another embodiment, the third elongated member has a forward surface, and wherein the first bracket has a generally planar bottom surface, the bottom surface forming a substantially right angle with the third elongated member forward surface, the third elongated member being positioned upon the first elongated member by nestling the first elongated member within the right angle.
In another embodiment, the first end portion is semi-circular in the plane of the first elongated member.
In another embodiment, the center portion extends over the second end portion, the center portion extension being arcuately shaped to closely receive the semi-circular first end portion of a like device.
In another embodiment, the second end portion is semi-circular in the plane of the first elongated member.
In another embodiment, the first and second end portions are semi-circular in the plane of the first elongated member.
In another embodiment, the first end portion further comprises a male locking extension and the second end portion comprises a female receptacle, the female receptacle being shaped for receiving and securing the male locking extension on the first end portion of a like device.
A lawn edging device is provided, comprising: a first elongated member having: a center portion having an edge; a first end portion and a second end portion, each extending from the center portion, the first end portion being attachable to the second end portion of a like device, the second end portion being attachable to the first end portion of a like device, the first and second end portions being sized such that, when attached, the combined thicknesses of the first end portion and the second end portion of the like device are substantially the same as the thickness of the center portion; and a second elongated member attached to the first elongated member such that the plane of the first elongated member is transverse to the plane of the second elongated member.
In another embodiment, the device further comprises an extension member extending from the second elongated member; and a first and second bracket positioned on the third elongated member for closely receiving the extension member of a like device such that the second elongated member is joined to the second elongated member of the like device.
In another embodiment, the extension member is flexible.
In another embodiment, the extension member is offset from the second elongated member such that the extension member is linearly aligned with the first and second brackets.
A lawn edging device is provided, comprising: a first elongated member having: a center portion having an edge; a first end portion and a second end portion, each extending from the center portion, and means for attaching the first end portion being to the second end portion of a like device and the second end portion to the first end portion of a like device, the first and second end portions being sized such that, when attached, the combined thicknesses of the first end portion and the second end portion of the like device are substantially the same as the thickness of the center portion; and a second elongated member having an edge, the second elongated member being attached to the first elongated member such that the first and second elongated members form a vertex at the attached edges.
In another embodiment, the attachment means further comprises a snap-fit fastener.
In another embodiment, the device further comprises a third elongated member and means for positioning the third elongated member on the first elongated member such that the third elongated member extends upwardly from the plane of the first elongated member.
In another embodiment, the third elongated member has an extension and means for securing the extension of a like third elongated member.
The foregoing and other objects and advantages will appear from the description to follow. In the description reference is made to the accompanying drawing, which forms a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments will be described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. In the accompanying drawing, like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views.
The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is best defined by the appended claims.